Paris / Massy

The island of l’Île de la Cité in the heart of Paris is your starting point. Setting off on your cycling adventure, you’ll pass some of Paris’s most iconic sites: the banks of the Seine, the Latin Quarter, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, Saint-Sulpice Church and Tour Montparnasse. Then continue along the Promenade des Vallons de la Bièvre, a 12km-long green and shaded ‘‘corridor’’ conceived for cyclists and walkers, away from motorized traffic. Our tip – set aside time to visit the estates of Sceaux and La Vallée aux Loups in the département of Hauts-de-Seine, both a delight to explore.

 Stage description

The departure point is the forecourt of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris — the perfect opportunity to step on the brass marker symbolising the point zero of all roads in France. The first few kilometres wind through Paris on road, with a few points requiring extra care (Rue de Rennes, Place du 18 Juin in front of Tour Montparnasse).

Once past Montparnasse, a cycle lane connects you to the green corridor of southern Paris (also known as the Promenade des Vallons de la Bièvre), which then offers 12 kilometres of greenway entirely free of motorised traffic, all the way to Massy. This section presents no difficulty.

Within inner Paris, it is advisable to download the GPX tracks for the stage to follow your progress (see our article on finding your way using GPX tracks).

 At Massy, the route splits into two alternative options: via Versailles or via Limours. Still undecided? See the dedicated paragraph in our Frequently Asked Questions.

 Not to be missed:

• The enchanting bookshop Shakespeare and Company, to find the perfect book to keep the sense of escape alive between pedal strokes;
• The Saint-Germain-des-Prés quarter: its cafés, bookshops and jazz clubs sheltered the most celebrated French intellectuals and artists of the post-war era;
• The Odéon quarter: its lively lanes (on foot, take a peek at the charming Cour du Commerce-Saint-André!) and its art-house cinemas;
• The Jardin du Luxembourg and the monumental Fontaine de l'Observatoire;
• The Panthéon and Place de la Sorbonne;
• Tour Montparnasse neighbourhood: Discover an area that has kept its authenticity by wandering around the Marché de la Création de Montparnasse or along the charming Rue Daguerre.  Please note that the Observatory at the top of the tower has been closed to the public since 31 March 2026, as part of a major renovation project set to last several years.
• The Domaine de Sceaux, departmental park and museum: this former estate of Colbert, with its park designed by André Le Nôtre, offers beautiful landscaped vistas;
• The Domaine Départemental de la Vallée-aux-Loups: home to the Maison de Chateaubriand and an arboretum with a plant collection of outstanding beauty.

 On the map, activate the Accomodation Useful information Leasure Restauration to discover nearby services and points of interest.

Food and drink en route

• Paris: see our list of markets. We suggest the Brancusi organic market in the Montparnasse Quarter, Saturdays 9am to 3pm.
• Sceaux: food shops and artisan producers awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France and Maître Artisan distinctions. Market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings on Rue Houdan. An organic market is also held on Sunday mornings.
• Châtenay-Malabry: Marché Colbert on Friday and Sunday mornings on Rue Jean Longuet.

 Bike repair

• Pastel Cycles Richer, Paris 09. +33 1 83 96 06 50
• Pastel Cycles Turbigo, Paris 03. +33 1 71 70 61 59
• Pastel Cycles Batignolles, Paris 17. +33 1 71 24 99 94
• Cyclexpert 92, Bourg-la-Reine (~2,5 km). +33 1 49 84 42 82
• Le Triporteur, Sceaux. +33 6 88 47 19 20
• Fix N Ride (mobile). +33 6 69 65 24 55
• La Recyclerie Sportive, Massy. +33 9 81 94 72 65

 Consult the list of all the bike repairers along or near the route. 

Nearby train stations

• Paris – Montparnasse station 
• Sceaux station 
• Parc de Sceaux station

 See our article on reaching the veloscenic cycle route for more information on options for travelling with a bicycle.